A Strange Clause in Lamine Jamal's Contract with Barcelona Sparks Controversy

SadaNews - The young Barcelona star Lamine Jamal has ignited controversy after signing his new contract with the Catalan club, following the revelation of two significant requests that are likely to cause some frustration among his teammates.

Barcelona announced at the end of May that they have renewed the contract of their outstanding winger Lamine Jamal until 2031.

In a statement, they said, "The renewal of Lamine Jamal's contract is a confirmation of the solidity of Barcelona's project. His brilliance on the global football stage is akin to only a handful of players, and this began in his official debut match, specifically on April 29, 2023, when he was fifteen years old."

Jamal signed the contract with a standard buyout clause of one billion euros and annual salaries of around 40 million euros before taxes upon meeting all performance bonuses, placing him among the highest-paid in the team.

The Strange Clause

According to the newspaper "Mundo Deportivo", the young player requested the right to take free kicks and penalties during the 2025-2026 season, which could rearrange the attacking options in the team.

His teammates, like Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski, had been sharing the responsibility of set pieces, with the Polish striker being the first option for penalties.

It is not yet clear whether Jamal wants to become the primary option for all set pieces or simply to be considered for these opportunities, but this clause gives him a significant chance to increase his goals and assists.

In the 2024-2025 season, Jamal scored 18 goals and provided 25 assists in 55 matches, contributing to Barcelona winning a domestic treble, in addition to reaching the semifinals of the Champions League.

He also boasts an 80% conversion rate for penalties after taking 5 penalties with the Spanish national team, making this request sportingly reasonable, although it may create tension among his teammates.

Source: Spanish Press